The present invention relates generally to the field of loud speaker equipment and more particularly to a sound enhancing speaker cabinet for removable speaker assemblies.
Portable speaker equipment, particularly amplifiers for electronic amplification of musical instruments, have been produced with acoustical speakers mounted in speaker enclosures. Of particular concern are guitar amplifiers used to amplify electric guitar music. These amplifiers or speaker assemblies are often two to three feet high and are positioned on the ground or on the stage behind a musician. The front of the speaker enclosure generally has an opening through which the speaker transmits or directs the primary portion of the acoustic energy and a substantially open rear wall through which a secondary portion of the acoustical energy is directed. Normally the speaker assembly directs the sound along a horizontal axis toward or pointed at the audience; while the secondary portion of the acoustical energy is directed away from the audience with this energy being essentially lost or wasted.
A frequent problem for the performing musician is that it is difficult to hear oneself playing with the typical loud speaker equipment. Since the speaker assemblies are generally two to three feet tall and are placed on the ground level behind the musician, the primary portion of the sound is directed horizontally about the knee-level of the musician. This results in too little sound reaching the height of the musician""s ears for monitoring.
The present invention is a speaker cabinet for positioning a typical speaker assembly having such an open back. The present speaker cabinet captures the secondary portion of the acoustical energy and redirects it in the desired direction. Additionally, the speaker assembly is slanted upwardly to allow the performing musician to better hear himself.
The present invention redirects the secondary portion of an audio output from a removable speaker assembly of the type having a speaker housing or enclosure with a front side though which a primary portion of the audio output from at least one acoustic device or speaker enclosed in the housing is directed and with a substantially open rear side opposite the front side through which the secondary portion of the audio output is transmitted. An enclosure is formed having front and back sides, upper and lower sides, and side walls. The enclosure has a substantially hollow interior. Positioning means with the front side of the enclosure removably maintains the rear side of the removable speaker assembly adjacent a first side of the front side of the enclosure. Sound transmitting means with the first area of the front side of the enclosure communicates the secondary portion of the audio output from the removable speaker assembly into the hollow interior of the enclosure. Redirecting means communicates with the hollow interior of the enclosure for directing the secondary portion of the audio output from the interior essentially in the direction of the primary portion of the audio output from the removable speaker assembly. The speaker assembly is typically cradled above hollow interiors of the enclosure that form successively divergent sound transmitting zones to re-direct sound with a doubled-up series megaphone effect.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: